To avoid “irreparable loss” to the Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya, Palampur, the Himachal Pradesh high court has restrained the state govt from changing the nature of varsity’s 112-hectare land. The court ordered that the land should only be used for its original purpose before it was transferred to the tourism and civil aviation department for the development of a ‘Tourism Village.’
The division bench, comprising Justice Vivek Singh Thakur and Justice Rakesh Kainthla, made it clear, in its Nov 21 order, that the agriculture university is permitted to continue using the 112-hectare land as it had before the transfer. However, neither the university nor the tourism department is allowed to undertake any permanent construction on the land until further orders.
The ‘Toursim Village’ is one of the key projects of the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led Congress govt but is being opposed tooth and nail by the BJP. Even the present agricultural and animal husbandry minister Chander Kumar had strongly objected to using the varsity’s land for non-agricultural purposes.
The high court directions came on a petition moved by the Himachal Pradesh Agriculture Teachers’ Association, which submitted that the concerned authority of the university “is being used as a puppet by the govt.” The petitioner association submitted that against 112-hectare land, only 20-22 hectares of land has been proposed to be provided to the university. The court was apprised that at present, 414 hectares of land is available with the university at Palampur and after taking 112 hectares of land for the Tourism Village, only 277 hectares land will remain with the varsity.
The division bench observed that the counter affidavit filed by the state govt makes it evident that even 20-22 hectares land proposed to be transferred to the varsity is not available and process for identification is ongoing. The court said this indicates that there is no other suitable land available for the university, particularly for expansion of its ancillary and incidental activities. “For the authorities, identification of land, if available, is not a herculean task. Land is not a subject to be searched by using microscopic instrument,” said the court.
The petitioner association had sought cancellation of the transfer of 112-hectare land for the ‘Toursim Village’ submitting that this is the sole university in the Himachal Pradesh which specifically deals with the agricultural studies and it was established on November 1, 1978. Presently, there are four colleges under the university: College of Agriculture; College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Palampur, established in 1986; College of Home Science, established in 1991; and College of Basic Science established in 1991.
As many as 344 students had enrolled for the 1978-79 session, but now the strength of students has reached 2,016 for the 2023-24 session. It was submitted that there are a number of projects and courses ancillary and incidental to the purpose of university which are yet to be started and as per New Education Policy strength of the students has to be increased to 3,000 to 5,000.